Social Service Agencies Aitkin County: Lakes & Pines Community Action Council* 320.679.1800 800.832.6082 Aitkin Health & Human Services 218.927.7200 800.328.3744

Benton County: Tri-County Community Action Program 320.251.1612 888.765.5597 Benton County Human Services 320.968.5087

Carlton County: Lakes & Pines Community Action Council* 320.679.1800 800.832.6082 Carlton County Human Services 218.879.4511 800.642.9082 Cloquet & Moose Lake 218.485.8520 888.485.8520

Cass County: Bi-County Community Action Program 218.751.4631 800.332.7161 Cass County Health, Human and Veteran Services 218.547.1340

Crow Wing County: Lutheran Social Services 218.829.5000 800.829.5902 (Brainerd) Crow Wing County Economic Assistance Information 218.824.1250 888.772.8212 Tri-County Community Action Program* 218.829.2410

Hubbard County: Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership * 218.732.7204 800.450.1385 Hubbard County Social Services 218.732.1451 877.450.1451

Isanti County: Lakes & Pines Community Action Council* 320.679.1800 800.832.6082 Isanti County Family Services 763.689.1711

Itasca County: Kootasca Community Action Council* 218.999.0824 877.687.1163 888.249.8879 (nights and weekends) Itasca County Health and Human Services 218.327.2941

Koochiching County: Kootasca Community Action Council* 218.999.0824 877.687.1163 Koochiching County Community Services 218.283.7000 800.950.4630

Lake County: AEOA 218.749.2912 800.662.5711 Lake County Human Services 218.834.8400

Mille Lacs County: Lakes & Pines Community Action Council* 320.679.1800 800.832.6082 Mille Lacs County Community and Veteran Services 320.983.8208 888.270.8208

Morrison County: Tri-County Community Action Program* 320.251.1612 Opt 2 888.765.5597 Morrison County Social Services 320.632.2951

Pine County: Lakes & Pines Community Action Council* 320.679.1800 800.832.6082 Pine County Health and Human Services 320.216.4100 800.450.7463

St. Louis County: AEOA Outside of Duluth 800.662.5711 ext.3011 Duluth 218.623.3011St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services (Duluth) 218.726.2222 800.450.9777 United Way Information & Referral 211 800.543.7709 Salvation Army 218.722.7934

Stearns County: Tri-County Community Action Program 320.251.1612 888.765.5597 Stearns County Human Services 320.656.6000 800.450.3663

Todd County: Todd County Social Services 320.732.4500 888.838.4066

Wadena County: Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership 218.632.3600 Wadena County Human Services 218.631.7605 888.662.2737

Fond du Lac Reservation: 218.878.2658 800.365.1613

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe: 218.335.3783 866.864.8668

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe: Office of Energy and Emergency Services: 320.532.7880 *Weatherization programs available at no cost to you

No-Cost, Low-Cost Tips to Save Energy

• Manage your thermostat. Try 76 to 78 F during the cooling season and 66 to 68 F during the heating season.

• Use fans whenever possible instead of air conditioning, especially ceiling fans for rooms with high ceilings.

• Clean or change your furnace filters monthly. Filters are inexpensive and also clean the air you breathe.

• Lower your water heater thermostat to 120 F if possible. If you have a dishwasher, 140 F may be needed.

• Turn off all unused lights and appliances.• Vacuum refrigerator and freezer coils every six

months to improve the units’ efficiency. • Open shades on cold days to let warm sunlight

in, and close shades on hot days to prevent sunlight from heating up the house.

• Wash clothes in cool water and hang clothes outside to dry when possible.

• Take shorter showers.• Caulk and weather-strip cracks around doors

and window frames to prevent drafts. • Remove or cover window air conditioners

during the heating season.• Insulate your home adequately.• Close the door and heat registers in unused

rooms. • Do not block radiators or warm air registers

with furniture, drapes or other objects.

For information on how you can become more energy efficient at home, at work or in your community, visit Minnesota Power’s energy conservation website at www.mnpower.com/powerofone.

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17

A Helping Hand With Energy Bills

Rights and ResponsibilitiesUnder the Minnesota Cold Weather Rule

The Minnesota Cold Weather Rule

Some customers find it hard to pay their utility bills in the winter. The state of Minnesota set up the Cold Weather Rule to protect residential, heat-affected customers who are unable to pay their utility bills from disconnection of service between October 15 and April 15.

Avoiding Disconnection

The Cold Weather Rule does not forbid winter shut-off. If you receive a shut-off notice during the winter, you must act promptly and call Minnesota Power at 1-800-228-4966 to apply for Cold Weather Rule protection and set up a payment plan. Your service will be subject to disconnection without further notice if you do not make the agreed-upon payments. If you cannot keep your original payment plan, call Minnesota Power immediately and make a new payment plan to avoid disconnection.

Reconnection

If your power is disconnected when the Cold Weather Rule is in effect, you can have it reconnected by calling Minnesota Power at 1-800-228-4966 to set up a payment plan. You must keep your payment plan to avoid future disconnection. Call Minnesota Power immediately if you cannot keep your payment plan and make a new payment plan to avoid disconnection.

Payment Plan

The chart below shows energy assistance income guidelines. In general, if your household income is:

• at or below 50 percent of the state median income, you are not required to pay more than 10 percent of your monthly household income.

• more than 50 percent of the state median income, you may make a payment plan with Minnesota Power.

Cold Weather Rule payment plans last until April 15 unless you make other arrangements with Minnesota Power. Your service could be shut off if you have a past-due balance on April 15 and do not make and keep a new payment plan.

Right to Appeal

If you and Minnesota Power cannot agree on a payment plan, you have 10 days to appeal to the Public Utilities Commission. The commission will help you set up a payment plan, and your service will stay on during the appeal process.

Managing Energy Costs

Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Minnesota Power works with the state of Minnesota and local agencies and organizations to offer a wide variety of assistance programs for income-qualified households. Visit www.mnpower.com/CustomerService/AssistancePrograms to learn more.

Fuel or Heating Assistance mn.gov/commerce/consumers/consumer-assistance/energy-assistance/ Energy Assistance Hotline at 1-800-657-3710 First Call for Help at United Way 211

If you need help paying your utility bills, you may qualify for state or federal fuel assistance. For complete information, contact a social service agency for your area. (See Social Service Agency listing on the reverse side or visit www.mnpower.com/CustomerService/FuelAssistance.)

CARE If you are income eligible for the Energy Assistance Program you are also eligible for Minnesota Power’s Customer Affordability of Residential Electricity (CARE) discount on your monthly electric bill. Complete the CARE program application at www.mnpower.com/CARE, or call Minnesota Power at 1-800-228-4966. Say “Customer Service” to be connected with a representative.

Budget Billing With Minnesota Power’s free Budget Billing program you can spread a year’s electricity bills evenly across 12 months. Keeping payments at a fixed amount each month simplifies budgeting for monthly expenses and helps you avoid the higher-than-average bills that often come with cold weather. Here’s how it works:

• First, we estimate the total cost of the electric energy we anticipate you will use in the next year. Next, we divide that total into 12 equal monthly payments so you know what your bill will be each month.

• Your account is reviewed from time to time and adjusted to correct for any underpayment or overpayment.

Third Party Notice

If you want us to let someone else know—in addition to notifying you—that you are in danger of having your service disconnected for not paying your bill, we can provide this service. This third party may be a friend, relative, church or community agency and can receive and give information about you and arrange payment plans with Minnesota Power for you. The third party is not responsible for payment.

Request for Third Party Notification

Customer Name

Address

City State Zip

Phone

Account Number from Electric Bill

I give my permission to my electric utility to provide information and accept information from the party named below.

Customer Signature Date

Name of Third Party to Be Notified

Address

City State Zip

Phone

Third Party Signature Date (This request cannot be accepted without the third party’s signature.)

Minnesota Power will make every effort to send a copy of the shut-off notice to the party specified. The customer making the request understands that the electric utility is not liable should the third party fail to receive or act upon the notice.

For your convenience, complete this form and return it with your next electric bill payment.

HH SizeAnnual Income

3 Month Max. HH Size

Annual Income

3 Month Max.

1 $25,000 $6,250 11 $70,673 $17,668

2 $32,692 $8,173 12 $72,116 $18,029

3 $40,385 $10,096 13 $73,558 $18,389

4 $48,077 $12,019 14 $75,000 $18,750

5 $55,769 $13,942 15* $77,638 $19,409

6 $63,462 $15,865 16* $82,236 $20,559

7 $64,904 $16,226 17* $86,834 $21,708

8 $66,346 $16,586 18* $91,432 $22,858

9 $67,789 $16,947 19* $96,030 $24,007

10 $69,231 $17,307 20* $100,628 $25,157

*110% of Federal Poverty Guideline is greater

2018 Maximum Energy Assistance Program Income GuidelinesBased on 50% State Median Income (SMI) or 110%* of Federal Poverty Guidelines, whichever is greater.

To sign up for Cold Weather Rule protection

call Minnesota Power at

800-228-4966